Château Laroze Saint-Emilion 2020 - Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Located at the foot of the hillside south of the village, the 27-hectare vineyard is planted on a single plot of land with ancient sandy soil and deep clay subsoil. Cultivated without chemical fertilizers or weedkillers, and now advised by Hubert de Boüard, the estate has retained its unforced, natural style, but it still lacks a little body and complexity overall to compete with the very best.

Decanter

About wine:

Juicy and supple, with beautiful fleshy tannins—not chewy, but filling the mouth with a chalky texture. I also really like the fresh blue fruits and salty notes. It's not the most complex yet, but it's fresh and lively. Bold and full of character, it perhaps falls a little short, with the texture only serving to soften the persistence of the fruit, but it is structured and seems well crafted. It is dark and brooding, with noticeable licorice, but it will be delicious. 2025-2036

Guide Hachette des vins

About wine:

The complex and harmonious nose, with notes of red fruit and spices, opens the tasting with elegance. This is followed by a powerful but smooth structure, with freshness, tight tannins supported by good barrel aging, and a long toasty finish. 2027-2032

About the estate:

Heir to a lineage of winemakers dating back to 1610, Georges Gurchy founded the estate in 1882. His descendants, the Meslin family, are still at the helm: Guy succeeded his father Georges in 1990 as head of the property. Classified since 1955, the estate has a large vineyard covering 27 hectares on clay-sand soils, west of Saint-Émilion.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Classified since 1955, the estate founded in 1882 by the family of Guy Meslin, the current owner, is recognized as one of the most reliable values in Saint-Émilion. It makes the most of its hillside terroir, which is largely sandy. While some recent vintages have a distinctive character, rich but lacking in nuance, the very latest ones show improvement. Full-bodied, appealing and subtle, they will express themselves early on in the pleasant style for which the terroir is predisposed.

James Suckling

About wine:

Aromas of ripe black berries, dried herbs, lavender, cocoa, and dried orange peel. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, with juicy tannins and a savory fruitiness. It is structured with an opulent, full-bodied palate and a lively, persistent finish. Best enjoyed after 2025.

Yves Beck

About wine:

As usual, Laroze reveals itself slowly, especially from an olfactory point of view. Inviting fruity, floral, and spicy nuances. On the palate, the wine displays great finesse thanks to precise, velvety tannins that provide perfect support alongside a structuring acidity. An elegant and promising wine that deserves a little aging. 2025-2040

Vert de Vin

About wine:

The nose is elegant and offers freshness, a little concentration, as well as some power and a little depth. There are notes of crushed blackcurrant, fleshy boysenberry and, more subtly, strawberry, combined with hints of fleshy/ripe red berries, fresh violet, lily, as well as hints of spice, toast, zan, and a discreet hint of green pepper and mocha. The palate is fruity, balanced, discreetly tight and offers deliciousness, a juicy/tart texture, tension (in finesse) as well as concentration, good definition and good structure. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/fleshy wild blackcurrant, juicy/fresh small black berries and, more subtly, bright raspberry, combined with hints of small black fruits, violet, cardamom, zan, as well as hints of spice, mocha and a subtle hint of roasted almond. The tannins are precise, fine, elegant, and structuring.

Tastingbook - Markus Del Monego

About wine:

Intense purple color with violet highlights and a black core. Expressive nose with aromas reminiscent of mocha and dark chocolate, smoky minerality, blackberries and brambleberries, juicy plums, chili pepper, and bay leaf in the background. Well-structured palate with ripe tannins, soft acidity, great freshness, and aromatic depth. A wine with density and length.

Bernard Burtschy

About wine:

The color is dark garnet with intense aromas carried by the raspberry notes of a superb Cabernet Franc. The wine is light and supple, full of charm, with a beautiful length, without the slightest heaviness—a small miracle of balance.